Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Deans farm rescue

Seems like a wonderful place.

 

[Ponypoor]

My adventure!
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TAX
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Love those cactus

Great photos good job!

 

[BY Bob]

Long story.

Came home from work yesterday. Kid said a yellow tail went past the window (on the deck). Visiting dog. Went to close the coop last night. Head count 27. No Twirp. Looked around. Not a trace.

This morning, opened coop. Whiskey has a totally naked tail nub. Something snatched his tail. Otherwise he seems fine (can't catch to treat, he's running around). Called off work: bone chill and tired after coffee. Finally took a soak. Gearing up to take Sherlock for a walk and see a dog in the drive. Head out after it. (Sherlock had an accident inside immediately after that, kid working on cleaning up). Dog owner (co-worker who's mother is a neighbor: place with all the cars) said he saw the dog chasing a white bird. We go walkabout down the outside of the pea tree hedge. Found Quartz, then Granite. Look around more not find anymore, but hear a squawk from down below. (Wondering why the 2 were out where we found them, what was going on around the coop). Owner offered to pay for the birds. Ok. No idea what they're going to do with the dog (I didn't ask). Owner leaves and I go start Head count around the coop. Come up with 22. With Twirp missing, Quartz and Granite dead, should be 25. 3 missing: Pear, Nimbus, and I'm not sure who. I saw Whiskey, Cheetah, Hector, Blanche, PITA, Cuckoo, Lark, Indigo, Primula, Belladonna, Nellie, Pippa, Maizie, Mera, Storm, Cardhu, Cumulo, Shan, Enigma.....pretty sure I saw Jessica, Havoc....leaves Tuff and Chia (possibly off laying another egg in her hiding spot). Anyway, not quite sure who is missing.

Went down to lower neighbors to see if the squawk I heard was from there. His mom (former owner of our place) and his sister and a young man (not sure who) were there. Yellow dog from yesterday is there. Now they know dog was up ON the deck. Also found Whiskey's tail feathers down there, so proof something grabbed at him. Told them about Twirp missing yesterday, the 2 dead today, hearing something down there. They had been out trimming some of the shrubs when one of the dogs flushed a chicken out of the rose patch at the end of the house near where the feathers were. We go out and poke under the juniper bush. (My hair is still wet from my soak and hanging to my waist). I can see tail feathers, looking suspiciously like Twirp's. Used some hand snips to trim out a couple of branches and I can see her. It is Twirp. As soon as I laid hands on her tail feathers, she squirms farther in (I'm belly down under a juniper shrub up to my waist). Finally fish her out and she hunkers down in my arms, obviously scared and shock. She's got similar wounds to Whiskey's, just with a couple more tail feathers. They're going to keep an eye out for any more birds and let me know if they find any. Twirp got brought back up to the house, where we started cleaning up (poopy butt in addition to the feather loss). Drink of water got her standing on her own, drinking and looking around a bit. Still more interested in sitting still. Sprayed area with vetricyn. Then had kid go out and bring in the baby tote. Tucked her in there, then set up feeder. Went out to the coop, trying to figure out who would be a calm companion (She's the independent, go off by herself twirp). Whiskey is roosting.....ooh good idea, need to treat him too. Bit of a fight getting him off the roost so he's mostly fine. Corner him and pack him in (he's pretty unhappy about it, and quite the hefty weight, at least double Twirp, who is about 4 pounds). Get his backside sprayed and add him to the tote. Quarters are TIGHT, he's a big boy......and a good boy. He promptly starts talking to Twirp and tidbitting over the food, eating as he goes. Good.

Take Sherlock for a walk (he's been looked in the laundry out of the way, and needs a bath from his accident). Warm enough to use the hose....which he fights hard enough to slip his collar. He runs off in his "I've got the zoomies" gait and I have visions of him going through the birds.....surprisingly he comes right back when I call him. Collar back on and tightened down a bit. Try more washing....he's wet...good enough. Back inside to introduce him to his new house mates (who are NOT happy: Whiskey sounds alarm and Twirp hides under him. Sherlock is naturally curious about it and wants to poke his nose in. Repeated efforts, finally move the baby gate (for keeping him off the stairs and haven't needed that way in a while) over to help "fence off the corner". Now lots more opportunities to practice "come" with distractions. Drying him off was more difficult as he likes to play with towels.

All this has been over the last 2 and a half hours. Currently sitting in living room, Sherlock napping at feet. Hearing pecking from the kitchen. Have vitamins in the water and mixed scratch and pellets into the feeder. Also have pumpkins to process, so some of those will go to birds. Still need to go back out and see if any of the others have turned up. Definitely NOT what I planned on doing on a sick day (more like nipping the sick before it gets nasty). I still have juniper in my sweater (alpaca wool, and when it came to rescuing Twirp, I didn't care) and need to brush out my hair, getting rid of any more twigs in it.

OMG. This is crazy. I'm so so very sorry about this.

 

[Ponypoor]

We are just about done with molts.

Hattie has a few wing feathers to go.

Glynda some head feathers and those tail feathers.

Aurora is down to head and beard.

Phyllis is just head feathers.

Sydney seems done.

Lady Featherington probably has the most to go with head feathers and chest feathers.

I'll try to post updated photos tomorrow.

I feel this has been a hard season for moulting - do you feel that way also? All my original gang has done a big moult, they didn’t do this last year. Maybe a sign of a cruel winter?

I am hoping that Buttercup doesn’t start moulting now, she is about the only one who hasn’t moulted.

Your ladies look splendid already with their new feathers

 

[Ponypoor]

Tina is dying. She was up and about yesterday but seriously poorly now

I think the fireworks may have rushed this on. I have her inside right now and don't know how to help her

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I wouldn’t count her out just yet. Red Hen has been wandering around here with a cyanotic comb for a few months, every morning I take a deep breath and look to see where she is. This morning she was on the roost waiting patiently for me to lift her down

Having said that, there is a time for them all when we must say goodbye

But I hope Tina is just feeling a bit under the weather.

 

[BY Bob]

Ok so after much back and forth, back and forth… I decided I would let Henny Penny try to hatch out some eggs.

After inspecting Henny and how much surface area she could cover I decided that I would give her 3 Marty, and one each of Curly, Fluffy, and of course Penelope’s egg.
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How wonderful!

 

[Marie2020]

I wouldn’t count her out just yet. Red Hen has been wandering around here with a cyanotic comb for a few months, every morning I take a deep breath and look to see where she is. This morning she was on the roost waiting patiently for me to lift her down

Having said that, there is a time for them all when we must say goodbye

But I hope Tina is just feeling a bit under the weather.

My problem right now is should I put her back into the coop or keep her indoors,.

She's very sleepy in the box but would she be happier with princess. The stupid fireworks doesn't help. I hope it rains heavily tonight. Then I think best in the coop.

She is swollen above her vent which I'm taking as cancer. She's had lose for ages. I'd like to put honey in her vent but don't want to upset her

 

[Ponypoor]

How wonderful!

We will see what my mum says! It won’t be good that’s for sure! But I am eggcited to see what I get from the silkies this time around colour wise.

I eggspect the Penelope egg will produce a chick like Eli-too.

 

[BY Bob]

After several hours of medical care and general coop stuff, we're done for the day and pooped.

Poor Eenie. Prepare for grossness.

Back of her neck View attachment 3676375View attachment 3676376
Under her "chin".View attachment 3676377

The poor thing is just literally scalped on the back of her neck. It was pretty dry and basically one big scab. It looks wet in the pic because it was after I sprayed it with saline. If you zoom in, there's a more moist, greenish area right at the top by her head. We did extra cleaning in that area, but we didn't want to dislodge the scab. We sprayed thoroughly with the vetericyn and she and Uno are now in the small coop, next to the run. They have been happily scratching away in its run. Eenie doesn't seem to be particularly distressed.View attachment 3676423

I do have some old clindamycin. Would an antibiotic be a good idea? Not that I have the slightest idea how to give it or how much...

We did away with the brooder area and platform finally, and replaced it with a shelf. The little "table" eas moved in front of the nests after I took the pic, in case someone wants a smaller hop. Hopefully, they'll keep using the nests. View attachment 3676399
Finally we did a bit of trash removal. I found the home of the mice. Had a bag of straw. My husband picked it up and at LEAST a dozen of the little ran out! It was horrifying. We have GOT to get rid of them!!! But...that's a struggle for another day.

Poor Tres. He's totally lost by himself with Manny, Meanie and Sheba. He's always has his mom and sister backing him up. View attachment 3676407
Hopefully, they won't gang up on him. He's as tall, if not a bit taller, than Manny...but still a kiddo. I'll be keeping a close eye on him.

I feel silly really. I grew up on a farm! But it's just different when you've taken baby pictures of them.

Nothing I see says use an antibiotic. I would save whatever I have for a more serious situation. That actually looks pretty good. It should heal on its own.

Do you know how this happened?

 

[Ponypoor]

My problem right now is should I put her back into the coop or keep her indoors,.

She's very sleepy in the box but would she be happier with princess. The stupid fireworks doesn't help. I hope it rains heavily tonight. Then I think best in the coop.

She is swollen above her vent which I'm taking as cancer. She's had lose for ages. I'd like to put honey in her vent but don't want to upset her

I would just trim the feathers where her poops collect rather then introduce any further stuff in her vent. Otherwise it’s just more messiness.

If it’s not way below freezing I would keep her with princess they are a flock so best to keep them together. And being outside is always great for them - gosh I sure hope she is just a bit slow today. You know I have given Red a half low dose aspirin with good results - it’s an anti-inflammatory and pain med. it might help your lovely girl.

Ok I will check in later to see how you’re getting on with her.